China will continue to work for peace on the Korean Peninsula
and in East Asia and to facilitate the talks on the Korean
Peninsula nuclear issue, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said
on Tuesday afternoon.
"China has maintained communication and coordination with all
parties involved for the early resumption of the six-party talks,"
Li told a press conference held on the sidelines of the ongoing
annual full session of the 10th National People's Congress, China
's top legislature.
He didn't directly answer the question of a correspondent from
the Republic of Korea (ROK) whether the six-party talks will resume
before Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to the United States
scheduled for April.
The six-party talks, which aim to find a peaceful solution to
the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, involve China, the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the ROK,
Russia and Japan. The talks have so far been held for five rounds
in Beijing.
Calling the joint statement issued last year following the
fourth-round talks a "hard-won result that should be cherished," Li
said China believes that as long as all parties have sincerity,
demonstrate flexibility and have the overall security situation of
Northeast Asia in mind, the negotiation will "achieve positive
progress gradually."
"We hope all parties concerned can adhere to dialogue and
consultation, take more confidence-building steps, and be both
pragmatic and flexible to implement the joint statement," the
minister urged.
(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2006)